Trevor

Henri Nouwen is one of my favorite authors. Over the years, I have read many of his

books and articles. In his book, Can You Drink the Cup, Henri tells a story about Trevor,

a man with severe mental and emotional challenges who was sent by Henri's community

to a psychiatric facility for evaluation. Henri wanted to see him, so he called the hospital

to arrange a visit. When those in authority found out that the famous teacher Henri

Nouwen was coming, they asked if they could have lunch with him in the Golden Room—

a special meeting room at the facility. They would also invite doctors and clergy people

to the special luncheon. Henri agreed.

When Henri arrived, they took him to the Golden Room, but Trevor wasn’t there. Henri

asked about Trevor's whereabouts. "Trevor can’t come to lunch," he was told. "Patients

and staff are not allowed to have lunch together. Plus, no patient has ever had lunch in

the Golden Room."

"But the whole purpose of my coming was to have lunch with Trevor. If Trevor isn’t

allowed to attend the lunch, I won’t attend either." The thought of missing an

opportunity for lunch with Henri Nouwen was too much. They soon found a way for

Trevor to attend.

Well, the Golden Room was packed with people who were quite excited that the great

Henri Nouwen was in their midst. And some jockeyed for seats near to this great teacher.

And some were upset, that the rule separating patients and staff had been broken.

Trevor, who was oblivious to all of this, was sitting next to Henri. At one point during

the lunch, Henri was talking to the person on his other side and didn't notice that Trevor

had stood up, made his way to the podium at the center of the stage, and had lifted his

glass of Coca-Cola.

"A toast. I will now offer a toast," Trevor said to the group. Everybody in the room got

nervous. What was he going to do? Then Trevor, this deeply challenged man in a room

full of PhDs, started to sing, "If you're happy and you know it, raise your glass. If you're

happy and you know it, raise your glass..."

Nobody was sure what to do. It was awkward. Here was this man with a level of

challenge and brokenness they couldn’t begin to understand, yet Trevor was beaming.

He was thrilled to be there. So, one by one they started to sing. Softly at first, and then

louder and louder until doctors and nurses and administrators and PhD’s and clergymen

and Henri Nouwen were all practically shouting, "If you're happy and you know it, raise

your glass."

Suddenly it didn’t matter where they were sitting, it didn’t matter that the rules had been

broken. No one tried to separate PhD’s from ADD’s. The only thing that mattered was

that a wounded healer named Henri had chosen to live among the challenged and a

challenged man named Trevor was living out the best version of himself.

I pray we all learn to live the best version of ourselves.

See you Sunday!

Pastor Marty